Couple survives 250-foot plunge down Haleakala embankment

Three Maui hunters needed assistance from Makawao firefighters when they got disoriented by fog and darkness on the Waiakoa Loop Trail early this morning.

A North Carolina couple survived a 250-foot plunge down an embankment into a gulch after their car went off the road about a mile above the Haleakala Visitors Center Tuesday morning.

Arriving Maui County firefighters found the two victims, a man and a woman sitting up on their vehicle, which was on its side, a Fire Department spokesman said.

The woman complained of neck, back and hip pain and had cuts on her arms and head. The man complained of pain in his ribs and had a cut on his head. A rescue helicopter airlifted both patients to a landing zone, where they were taken by ambulance to Maui Memorial Medical Center in serious condition, firefighters said.

National Park Service rangers reported the 7:42 a.m. incident and were the first to respond and treat the victims.

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SteveToowrote:

Speed or fog?

on April 23,2013 | 05:51PM

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haruwrote:

How is that possible? The hand of Pele must have gently carried them to safety.

on April 23,2013 | 07:35PM

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Fred01wrote:

Where are all the usual "make the victims pay" trolls on this one?

on April 23,2013 | 08:10PM

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livinginhawaiiwrote:

Not enough info to make that determination - car could have malfunctioned or they may have been avoiding something on the road. BTW the Diamond Head airlifts this past weekend were to take a "30 something" tourist down who didn't bring water on the hike. The second Diamond Head airlift was just to bring down her friend. (I had the fortunate opportunity to see the report). Clearly those incidents did not have victims...

on April 23,2013 | 10:15PM

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localguywrote:

Diamond Head airlifts? Really? From that little height we use helo's to rescue people? Are they truly so incompetent? Guess so. Truly people who need to be removed from the gene pool. Weak, impotent.

on April 24,2013 | 05:47PM

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mikethenovicewrote:

This is the perfect newspaper to read about the dummies who try to defy the laws of physics. Hiking falls to moped accidents.

on April 23,2013 | 08:16PM

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HLOEWENwrote:

This comment has been deleted.

on April 23,2013 | 11:20PM

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AmbienDazewrote:

i think satan caused them to run off the road and Jesus cushioned their fall. oh, and they were eating gmo food while driving.

on April 24,2013 | 04:16AM

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SteveToowrote:

Dats Funny

on April 24,2013 | 08:45AM

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kiragirlwrote:

No railings?

on April 24,2013 | 05:07AM

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cojefwrote:

Does it means that you drive at your own risk, beyond the visitor center, where there are no railings? Wonder if they have insurance, probably opted to use their regular car insurance rather than purchase the local u-drive car insurance. Glad they did not suffer major injuries, but car must be a total wreck.

on April 24,2013 | 06:13AM

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mikethenovicewrote:

Insurance only makes us do the crime to collect.

on April 24,2013 | 07:00AM

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mikethenovicewrote:

Railings like in holding hands.

on April 24,2013 | 07:00AM

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AmbienDazewrote:

railing as in nanakuli, ukublue, wilikers, od, and i forget the rest, but you know who i mean.

on April 24,2013 | 07:59PM

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mikethenovicewrote:

Send them the bill. America is tired of bailing out for free the goof balls of society.

on April 24,2013 | 07:01AM

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loquaciousonewrote:

"Didn't you tell me take a right?" asked the husband. "No I said to take a left" said the wife. "But I heard right right?" said the husband. "You deef or something. I said take a left and use your right hand to steer." said the wife. "See I heard okay. You said right right"?